


Hogwarts doesn't Protect Everyone

by theaternerd1210



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Centaurs, Corruption, F/M, Hogwarts, Hufflepuff, Metamorphmagus, Ministry of Magic, Slytherin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-10-01 06:37:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10183070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaternerd1210/pseuds/theaternerd1210
Summary: Alison Grey is a fifth year Hufflepuff student at Hogwarts, trying to survive studying for her OWLs and dealing with bullies, and she has a secret that could jeopardize her chances of staying at Hogwarts.  Her ex-boyfriend Scorpius and Professor Lupin are the only people that know her secret.  That is until she meets a stranger in the Forbidden Forest.





	1. Transfiguration Class

“Alison, Alison, Alison Grey!”

She snapped up, her chair almost falling back as she did, the Slytherin guys on either side of her sneering at her clumsiness.

“Now that you have decided to join us, could you please try to turn your owl into a nice pocket watch”

She picked up her wand gave it a flick and she had an intricate little pocket watch on her table. Everyone looked at her including the professor.

“Thank you Alison for demonstrating”, he looked at the clock… “oh we have two minutes left, I am going to give back your exams. Please try to study more next time, the class average was a 70, and this was the easy stuff guys.”

A Hufflepuff in the front row raised her hand “what was the highest grade?”

“I am not sure if the person with that grade would like me to share, but I will say it was at least a 90.” The bell rang “Thank you class, don’t forget to practice that spell this week, I will see you on Friday” 

Alison packed up her books and was almost out the door with her test folded to hide the score.

“Alison” she stopped “Could you stay back for a minute?”

Everyone else left, she walked to the front of the room and took a seat on the front table.

“Professor Lupin I’m sorry about class I couldn’t sleep last night and…….” He cut her off.

“Alison it’s ok, I actually wanted to talk to you about your test. I have never heard you say two words in class and you never try the practice spells or answer questions in class. So how do you pull off the highest grade in the class; and I’m not accusing you of cheating, based on who you are next to that would not be possible.” Professor Lupin looked puzzled.

Alison didn’t know what to say so she just said “Transfigurations is easy?”

Professor Lupin laughed “I can see that, a fifth year student in a seventh year class, I’m impressed. Skills like that are usually only in…” He stared at her for a minute. “Alison I need to ask you something, and feel free to not answer, but I am curious, are you an animagous?” 

Alison looked away, how could he know, this is why she doesn’t participate in class. She decided to ask a question first. “Are you an animagous professor, or a metamorphamagous like your mother Tonks?”

He looked like he was expecting this question. “Honestly Alison, I’m like my mother, I inherited her gift, if you can call it that. Is that what you are, are you a metamorphamagous?” She nodded her head. “Than I understand why you couldn’t sleep last night. I was up all night listening to the ministry’s new regulations for animegi and metamorphamegi. I pity those that are not registered, the ministry will start to hunt them down if they don’t come forward”

Alison didn’t reply to that, unfortunately she did not register yet, and since she is 16, she was technically illegally using her abilities. Lupin saw the look on her face.

“Alison you have to register, you could be expelled if the Headmaster finds out”   
“I know, but if I register the ministry will keep me there until I am considered safe and I don’t want to be stuck in the ministry for weeks while I try to pass all of their tests. Professor Lupin could you please help me, once I become more skilled at transforming I promise I will register, and I can show them that they don’t need to keep me at the ministry.”

Professor Lupin paced around his classroom, thinking about Alison’s request.

“Very well, but we can’t practice in the school, there are too many protection spells. Friday’s class is in the Forbidden Forest, stay after class and we can start then, and you can’t tell anyone or I will lose my job and you will be expelled and arrested.”

“Thank you Professor Lupin” Alison grabbed her bag and test, she was in such a good mood she didn’t notice the three idiots waiting just outside the classroom. Unfortunately she walked right into the arms of Crabbe. Crabbe, Don and Aaron had waited for Alison to leave, knowing that after Transfigurations there was never anyone in the hall.

Don grabbed Alison’s bag and Aaron grabbed her test. Alison reached for her wand, but remembered that it was still in her bag. Crabbe grabbed her arms, spun her back to him, and pulled her body against his. Alison tried to run but they were all twice her size. She was about to scream, but she could feel Crabbe’s wand pressing into her spine. They all laughed as she struggled.

“Hey Aaron what do you think the Professor wanted with this little mudblood.” Crabbe sneered, his wand slowly moving up her spine.   
“Bet he was trying to flunk her for sleeping in class.”   
Don opened her test and laughed. “I bet I know what he wanted, he showed Crabbe and Aaron her test with a large 100 in the top right corner. Alison tried to struggle, but Crabbe’s wand only pressed further into her back. A small gasp left her mouth.   
“Bet he was having fun with his little teacher’s pet. How else would she pass, she’s just a little slut.”  
By now Crabbe had one giant arm around her shoulders and his wand poking into her neck. Crabbe’s free hand started moving down her chest “I wonder what its like to sleep with a mudblood” His hand moving down her chest, as Aaron and Don started to move in on her. Crabbe was crushing her breast with his giant hands. Aaron stepped closer stroked his hand down Alison’s cheek. “She puts on such an innocent act.” Don had started pulling up her skirt…

The door to Lupin’s office started to open, and Crabbe let go of Alison immediately. Aaron dropped her bag and Don dropped her test, they were just turning the corner when Professor Lupin walked out to see Alison picking her things off the floor. She gave him a convincing smile and he walked toward his next classroom.


	2. Class in the Forbidden Forest

The sun was shining particularly bright today, perfect for class in the Forest. As the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins filed into a large clearing in the forest they could hear the sounds of hooves against the ground. Professor Lupin emerged from the forest with a heard of deer following him.

“Alright class today we are starting transfigurations on larger creatures. Our first task is to transfigure a dear, into a trunk. I know you learned this spell in your second year, but that was with a toad, and you made a small box. The spell is the same, but you have to picture a large trunk, try to imagine the ones you used to bring everything to Hogwarts.”

He started arranging the deer around the circle. “I want everyone to find a partner, but today I want your partner to be from a different house.” 

The moans that followed were mutually felt by both houses. Unfortunately for Alison she did not know anyone in the class that would work with her, so she was forced to work with Crabbe after he pulled her towards one to the deer. 

Crabbe turned to her and said “Look I don’t want to work on this, so when that git comes over here you will do your spell, and when I do mine you are gonna hide your wand and make mine look better. Got it”. Obviously Alison didn’t want to anger him so she just shrugged.

Professor Lupin came over the Alison and Crabbe close to the end of class, the only people left were Don and Aaron, waiting for Crabbe . “Alison, ladies first.” So she took out her wand stood there for a minute before she flicked her wand. The deer turned into a large burgundy trunk with leather straps, and a large lock. “Excellent Alison, would you mind turning it back into a deer?” She flicked her wand again. 

Crabbe sneered at the trunk and mumbled “show off”, under his breath. Professor Lupin turned to Crabbe, “Crabbe I believe it is your turn.” Crabbe looked at Alison before turning towards the deer, he gave his wand a flick, and nothing happened. He tried again, but there was still a deer in front of him. He looked over at Alison, she just shrugged her shoulders, he tried one more time. “Mr. Crabbe, perhaps you need extra practice with this spell, there will be a meeting on Friday for anyone that still needs help, I expect to see you there.”   
Professor Lupin walked away to gather up the deer and bring them back into the forest

Alison went to collect her bag but found Crabbe standing in her way.   
“Do you mind” she said, “I need to get my bag”.  
“I thought we had a deal” His face was turning red with anger.  
“Sorry, I forgot” she started backing up, but found that Don and Aaron were standing behind her. Crabbe grabbed her robes, and the three of them started pulling Alison deeper into the forest.

“Crabbe let me go” she cried, he spun around and slapped her across the face. Alison fell hitting her head on the ground. She tried to grab her wand, but Don and Aaron pinned her arms to the ground, while Crabbe stood over her.   
“You stupid mudblood, you couldn’t just do what you were told.” Crabbe took out his wand and pointed it at her. “You know what, I have a better idea.” He bent down and pulled back Alison’s Hufflepuff robes and took out her wand. “I wonder how it feels to be tortured with your own wand”. Alison new what was coming and all she could do was struggle against them.

She could hear the hate in his voice “Crucio.” Her body convulsed, she wanted to grab her stomach but couldn’t move her arms. He said it again, the pain increasing ten fold, Alison’s head was throbbing, one more spell and she would pass out. Crabbe kneeled down right over her and pointed her wand at her heart he was about to say it when they heard the sound of hooves running. It stopped, and Crabbe turned back to Alison. He pulled on her hair to lift her head, the wand pressing into her chest, he started to speak but was cut off when an arrow flew past him, just missing his head. Another flew by catching the sleeve of Don’s robes and pinning him and his cloak to a tree. While Crabbe was distracted Alison grabbed her wand from his hand. He tried to grab her arm, but she yelled “stupefy” and sent him crashing into a tree. She turned to aim at Aaron, but he was already running away. Don managed to rip a hole in his robes to detach them from the arrow and helped Crabbe get up to leave. 

Alison watched them run away, then she turned to the direction where the arrows came from. And there he was, he was standing within the trees a bow in one hand with a quiver of arrows on his back. He was a tall man with out a shirt, but she couldn’t see most of him behind the bushes in the forest. Alison started walking toward him “Hello…um thank you” With every step she took closer to him, he took a step back. “Wait, who are you?” just then they heard Professor Lupin walking toward them, the man turned and ran deeper into the forest.


	3. Tutoring in the Forest

Professor Lupin walked into the clearing where Alison was standing. He still had one of the deer with him and he brought an owl as well.   
“Alison did you say something”  
She looked back to where the centaur had been standing there was no sign of him. “Sorry I thought I saw something in the Forrest”  
“You probably did, this forest is filled with magical creatures.” Lupin noticed the arrows in the tree, “Was something shooting at you?”  
“Oh um no those were already here.” He didn’t fully believe her but he let it go. “Alright Alison I guess we should get started. Tell me what you’ve turned into before.”  
“Well, I’ve been a cat, a Labrador, and a mouse.”  
Lupin looked surprised. “That’s it”

“Well I haven’t exactly had any help. The first time I ever changed I was hiding from one of the kids in the foster home and I was just trying to be as small and inconspicuous as possible, next thing I new I was a mouse. It took me three hours to change. After that any time I was angry or sad I had to hide so no one would see my hair change colors.”

Lupin was intrigued. “I’ve heard of that happening to metamorphmagi, I never had a problem with changing hair color, but I heard that my mother had that problem. Well I thought for today we would start with something simple, there are always owls flying around here so you know what they look like. This is a regular barn owl,” he said, pointing to a small brown owl that landed in the clearing. “Try to focus on copying its general body, don’t worry about color patterns.” 

Alison stared at the owl trying create a full image of it in her mind. She closed her eyes and thought about the owl, its wings, beak, talons, eyes, and anything else she could think of. When she opened her eyes she was a foot tall looking up at Professor Lupin.

“Excellent, you look almost identical. When you’re ready turn back into yourself.” This was always the easier part of the change. It only took a minute for Alison to return to her human body.  
“That was very good”  
“Thanks Professor”  
There was an awkward silence. “Um Professor Lupin, if you don’t mind me asking, what was the first animal you turned into.”

He smiled “It’s fine, traditionally the first thing metamorphmagi turn into is the animal of their patronus, although I doubt your patronus is a mouse. The first thing I turned into was a dog, specifically and black lab, and that is my patronus. If you want to try and turn into your patronus it should be easier than any other animal.”

“That’s great, but I don’t know my patronus, I’ve never been able to make a full body patronus.” Alison said this with a very disappointed look on her face. She had been working on creating a patronus since her third year and still has yet to create a full body patronus. 

“Don’t worry, some of the best witches and wizards take years to master a patronus. Why don’t you try turning into this doe, its large enough to be challenging, but it shouldn’t be to difficult. Try to empty your mind and just think about the doe.”

Alison walked around the deer a few times, she was starting to feel tired, but she didn’t want to stop yet. She had to prove to herself that she was capable of turning into more than just small animals. She spent 15 minutes focusing on the deer, and another five minutes standing in front of it before she changed. 

“Amazing, most people could not do that on the first try.”

Alison could feel a sharp pain in her stomach, she collapsed to the ground changing back as she fell. She hit the ground hard, holding her stomach. Lupin ran to her side trying to support her.

“Alison what’s wrong, what happened?”

She was past speaking, the pain in her side was getting worse. Alison was seeing stars, and her vision was getting blurry. Professor Lupin picked her up and carried her out of the forest. By the time they came out of the forest Alison was unconscious. Professor Lupin started running with her, he burst through the back doors of the castle, heading straight for the Hospital wing.  
“Madam Pomfrey, Madam Pomfrey!”

She met him outside the Hospital wing “Oh dear, what’s happened to her”

Professor Lupin placed her on the nearest bed. 

Madam Pomfrey looked her over “What happened?”

“I’m not sure, she was fine, we were talking and she was suddenly complaining about a pain in her left side, and then she fell.” 

Madam Pomfrey removed Alison’s robes “find her wand, I want to know the last spell she used.” Lupin Looked for her wand, while Madam Pomfrey lifted the bottom of Alison’s shirt. “Oh no”

“What’s wrong” Lupin said, as he pulled her wand from her robes.

“I think she’s bleeding internally, I’ll try to stop it, find out the last spell she used.” Madam Pomfrey gave Alison a pain killing potion and started using basic healing spell on Alison.

Lupin used the spell “Prior Incantato” on her wand, and the look on his face was mortifying. “Madam Pomfrey, the last spell used by her wand was the Cruciatus Curse.”


	4. I'm Fine

Alison woke the next morning in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was talking to Headmaster Slughorn in the corner of the room, when they saw her waking. Alison tried to sit up, but winced when a sharp pain shot through her left side. Madam Pomfrey walked over to Alison, “Dear, please don’t sit up yet, you cracked a few ribs yesterday.” Professor Slughorn walked over to Alison’s bed. “Miss Grey, I understand you are tired and still in pain, but I have a few questions I’d like you to answer.” Alison nodded, it’s not like she had a choice.

“Do you know how you arrived at the hospital wing yesterday.” Alison shook her head no. “Ah fortunately for you Professor Lupin brought you in, however we are not sure how you were injured, if you wouldn’t mind telling us what happened to you yesterday, and why the last spell you used was a cruciatus curse, that would make this much similar.”  
Now the smart thing to do would have been for Alison to tell Professor Slughorn the full story, unfortunately than she would have to explained why she is an unregistered metamorphmagus.  
“I didn’t use the curse” Alison said her throat very scratchy. “Someone took my wand, and used the curse on me.”  
“Well who was it?” Slughorn said.  
“I don’t know, I can’t remember, I can’t picture their faces.”  
“So there was more than one person?” Slughorn ask, his tone turning to frustration.  
“I think so, I’m sorry I can’t picture a face.”  
“Professor Slughorn” Lupin cut in, “May I speak with you for a moment?”  
Professor Slughorn and Lupin walked to Madam Pomfrey’s office, while Madam Pomfrey brought Alison a potion for her pain.

“I think I know who attacked her Professor” Lupin said. “There are three seventh year boys in my class that I think have been harassing her. They were the last three students in my class yesterday other than Alison.”  
Slughorn looked skeptical “Well can you be sure, she said she doesn’t remember.”  
“I don’t think she forgot who attacked her, I think she isn’t telling us, because she is afraid of what they will do to her if she tells us they have been attacking her.”  
“Professor Lupin, that is a very serious accusation to make against three students.”  
“I understand headmaster, but I know those students, Crabbe, Aaron and Don, have a gift for the dark arts and have no problem using an unforgivable curse, but I doubt any of them know how to do a memory spell.”

Alison left the hospital wing the next day fully healed. She went down to the kitchen and behind the large stack of barrels concealing the door to the Hufflepuff common room. The common room was Alison’s favorite place in Hogwarts, it was always warm and inviting and there are new plants hanging from the wall. Alison’s friend Katie was sitting in one of the large beanbag chairs near the fire. As soon as Alison entered the common room Katie jumped up and hugged Alison. 

“Ally your back, I went to the hospital wing, but they made me leave last night.”   
“Katie, my ribs are still healing, and I think your crushing them.”  
Katie immediately let go of Alison, “Sorry, so are you ok?”  
“I’m fine, my ribs should be healed by tomorrow, and I can go back to class tomorrow.” Alison sounded almost reluctant to go back to class.   
Katie and Alison went over to the large beanbag chairs and sat by the fire. Katie was eager to know what happened. “So how did you end up in the Hospital wing?”

Alison wanted to tell Katie about being an metamorphmagus and working on it with Professor Lupin, but Professor Lupin was the only person at the school that knew about her and Alison knew that she couldn’t tell Katie. “Well Professor Lupin found me unconscious in the Forrest after class.”   
Katie looked appalled. “Wait why were you unconscious in the forest, and that doesn’t explain your broken ribs.”   
Alison really didn’t want to talk about it, but she at least owed Katie an explanation. “Well someone decided that he wanted to use the cruciatus curse on me, because I didn’t cheat for him in class.”  
Katie practically fell out of her chair, “Wait you mean Crabbe and his gang, tortured you until your bones broke.” That wasn’t exactly true, but Alison couldn’t tell Katie that it got worse after transfiguring. “Does the headmaster know they did it?”  
“Well, not exactly.” Alison said, ready to change the subject.

Unfortunately, Katie and Alison’s friend James walked in.   
“James, did you know Crabbe and his friends tortured Ally?” James immediately walked over and hugged Alison. “Ally are you ok?”  
“James, Katie, I’m fine, please don’t worry about me and please don’t bother Crabbe’s gang about this or he will make my life a living hell, more than he already does.”   
James sat next to Alison, taking up a majority of the bean bag chair. “So did Katie tell you who visited you at the hospital wing yesterday?”  
Alison looked confused, other than James and Katie she didn’t know who would be visiting her.  
“I was getting to that eventually… um, when I arrived at the hospital wing someone was already there, talking to Madam Pomfrey.” Katie paused.

“Well who was it” Alison was getting frustrated.

“Scorpius was there, he was sitting next to your bed with Madam Pomfrey, apparently he saw Professor Lupin carry you into the school, and he followed you to the hospital wing.

“Did he say anything?” 

Alison’s relationship with Scorpius was complicated. They started dating the beginning of Alison’s fourth year and his fifth. Scorpius was sorted into Slytherin, like his parents, but he was sweetest Slytherin in history. Scorpius refused to join Crabbe’s gang, and was strongly against fighting, however he was always willing to stand up for Alison. Alison and Scorpius officially met when Alison started tutoring Scorpius in transfigurations. Which quickly turned in to study dates more often than needed, and eventually making their relationship public, and surprising not only their friends, but a majority of the school. 

They dated through the school year, Alison even stayed at Malfoy manner over Christmas break, where she met Scorpius’ parents. Fortunately his parents did not mind that Alison was in Hufflepuff, and the fact that she is a muggle born was not mentioned. Their relationship after Christmas break became even more difficult, when Crabbe’s gang started bullying Alison and harassing Scorpius. This lead to them avoiding each other in the halls, and meeting in the forest or the astronomy tower. By the end of the year everyone assumed that their relationship had ended, and it would have, if summer break had come any later.

Over summer break, Alison spent a majority of June and July and Malfoy manner. She and Scorpius would spend the day at the lake or in the garden. Scorpius taught Alison how to fly on a broom, he had a gift for flying and was seeker of the Slytherin team his second year, like his father. They would go out to dinner in the cute muggle town close to the manner, and Alison took Draco to a muggle museum to show him pictures that didn’t move. 

During the first week of August the ministry started debating the laws on animagus and metamorphmagus requirements. This made Scorpius and Alison’s relationship difficult, because Scorpius’s father was part of the Department for the Regulation of magical creatures, this included animagi, metamorphmagi, centaurs, mermaids, and other half-human creatures. Of course many animagi and metamorphmagi are insulted that they are put in the same category as half human creatures, but it never really bothered Alison. Unfortunately with the ministry trying to find and register all animagi and metamorphmagi, Alison started distancing herself from Scorpius. This only led to Scorpius asking more questions, and Alison eventually told Scorpius that she was a metamorphmagus. Alison realized her fear was not necessary, when Scorpius promised that he would never tell anyone what she was. However only two weeks later when a censes was created to track all known animagi and metamorphmagi Scorpius tried to convince Alison to sign up on the censes. This matter drove them apart because Alison would not get Scorpius to understand that if she let the ministry know what she was, they would always be tracking her and they would require that she work for the ministry so they could control her abilities. Their relationship ended the week before school started with Alison and Scorpius screaming at each other, and Alison stormed out of Malfoy Manor. 

Alison had not spoken to Scorpius since she left him. “Well did he say anything?”  
“He said that he felt bad about how your relationship ended, he was hoping to talk to you.” Katie said this with a skeptical look.  
“Really, what time is it?”   
“It’s 3:20” James said, “But why does that mat…”  
“Great I can catch him after his potions class.” Alison jumped up and talked toward the door.  
“Alison you just left the hospital wing, can’t you wait until tomorrow?” Now Katie was getting annoyed.  
“Katie I haven’t talked to him in two months, I thought he didn’t want to talk. I’ll see you later.” With that Alison left the room.


	5. We Keep Running Into Each Other

Alison ran out of the kitchen, through the great hall, and down three flights of stairs to reach the first part of the dungeons. The classes for the 6th and 7th years were in the lower level of the dungeons. Alison could hear students coming out of their classes a few minutes early, but she knew Scorpius’s class wouldn’t be out until exactly 3:30. The 7th year potions class started walking toward her, Alison moved around them and was about to turn right at the end of the hall, when she felt someone grab her arm, and pull her down the left hallway. She tried to pull away, but found someone else blocking her way and pushing her down the hall. Alison found herself at the end of the hall surrounded by Crabbe, Aaron, and Don.

Crabbe stepped forward and put his hand on the wall next to Alison’s head. “We just keep running into each other, don’t we?” he said with a sickeningly sweet voice. “So Ally, I heard you spent some time in the hospital wing.” He put his other hand her neck and started moving it down her arm. “I hope you’re ok.” He said with a very fake look of concern.   
“I’m fine, look I have to go meet…”  
“Hey” he said pushing her chest into the wall “Did I say you could leave?”  
“Professor Slughorn wants to talk with us today” Don said as leaned on the wall next to Alison. “You wouldn’t happen to know why?” He placed the back of his hand on Alison’s cheek. She turned her head, but Crabbe was on her other side.  
“I didn’t tell them anything. Please Crabbe just let me go, I won’t say anything…”  
“But I don’t trust you, how do I know you won’t run off to the headmaster.” His hand started moving from her chest to her breasts.  
Alison was done with being harassed. “Get your hands off me” She hit Crabbe with both hands, he was pushed back far enough for her to slap him across the face. Don and Aaron were so stunned it took them a second before they grabbed Alison. They held her as Crabbe stepped forward about to hit her.  
“No” Alison cried, Crabbe raised his hand.  
“Alison”   
Crabbe stopped.  
“Alison, is that you?” A voice said from down the hall.  
Alison knew his voice, she pushed past Crabbe, and ran down the hall into the arms of Scorpius.

“Hi Ally, what are you doing down here” He said as he held her close.  
“I was looking for you” She said, “I happened to run into Crabbe and his friends on my way here.”  
Scorpius look furious, “Ally would you mind waiting here for one minute.”  
“Um ok” she said unsure of what he was doing.  
Scorpius walked to the end of the hall where Crabbe and his friends were still talking. Scorpius walked right up to Crabbe grabbed the collar of his robes and shoved him against the wall. Aaron and Don were so stunned they didn’t know what to do.   
“If I ever see you touch Ally again I will personally put all three of you in the hospital wing, and I won’t need pathetic cronies to help me.” Scorpius turned and walked away, before they could respond.

Scorpius walked over to Alison and put his arm around her shoulder. “Do you mind going to the quidditch pitch with me, I have practice at 4”  
“Oh I forgot you had quidditch today.” She said, Alison was disappointed that she did not have the afternoon to talk with him.  
“So, Ally, how are you feeling, I came to see you in the hospital wing, but you were not awake, and they wouldn’t tell me what happened to you.”  
“I’m fine it was just a transfiguration spell gone wrong” She was hoping he would buy that story.  
“Ally I know you, you don’t do transfiguration spells wrong, and I saw Professor Lupin carrying you out of the forbidden forest, at least 20 minutes after your class ended. Ally did it have anything to do with Crabbe and his cronies?”  
“No” she said a little to quickly.  
“Ally what did they do to you? You have to tell someone” He stepped in front of her making her stop.  
“I can’t tell anyone, or they will torment me more than they already do.”   
Scorpius took her hands and held them together in his. “Ally, please I can’t stand knowing that they will get away with hurting, please tell me what they did.”  
“Scorpius they are probably in trouble for hurting me even if I don’t say anything.” He looked confused. “They found the last spell on my wand, and I told Madam Pomfrey that I thought there was more than one person cursing me.”  
Scorpius looked horrified “Wait cursing you, what spell did they use?”  
Alison looked down as she spoke. “The cruciatus curse” she mumbled.  
“Wait they tortured you so badly that you fainted and had internal bleeding.”  
Scorpius’ hands were clenched into tight fists and his face started turning red, which is very bad considering his skin is very pale. Alison grabbed his arms and tried to explain what happened very quickly.   
“No not exactly, they used the curse on me, but stopped because someone in the forest started shooting arrows at them. Then Professor Lupin came back from tending to the deer, then Professor Lupin was helping me with changing into an owl and doe, and I think that caused my injuries to become worse and caused my internal bleeding, but madam Pomfrey doesn’t know about… what I am, so Professor Lupin changed the story to leave that part out.”  
Alison took a breath and stepped closer to Scorpius, “I’m fine, I promise.” Scorpius pulled Alison in hugging her. Her head laid against his chest, she took a deep breath, she loved that he always smelled like the potions lab and the quidditch field. Suddenly they hear a high pitched whistle from the quidditch field. “I have to go to practice before the captain kills me” He kisses her forehead, “I’ll see you tomorrow after the game.” Scorpius starts running to the field, Alison watches him reach the field, then heads back inside the castle.   
As she walks back to the castle she doesn’t see the creature watching her from the Forbidden Forest, the same creature that saved her from Crabbe and his friends. He watches her walk through the doors of the castle before returning to the darkness of the forest.


	6. It's Not What You Think

Alison sat in Transfigurations waiting for the class to end, her exam completed too early, as always. She sits with her head down, knowing that Crabbe is watching her from the seat behind her. He hasn’t spoken to her since Scorpius threatened him.   
“Pencils down, the exam has ended. Everyone please leave your exams on the desk, I will collect them. Have a good day.” Professor Lupin heads to the front row and begins collecting the exams, as everyone grabs their belongings and leaves. Alison collects her things slowly waiting to be the last person in the room.

Professor Lupin looks up, “Alison you should have been the first to leave considering you finished an hour early.”  
Alison walks up to him. “Professor Lupin I’d like to practice transfigurations again, if you have time.”  
He puts down the exams. “Alison last time you almost died from internal bleeding, it’s not safe.”  
Alison was starting to get tired of people telling her how badly she was hurt. As far as she was concerned she was fully healed and ready to try again. 

“I wasn’t bleeding from the transformations, I was injured from the crutiatus curse already, please professor it’s been a week and I need to be able to fully control my transformations before I register.” Alison leaned in closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “And I heard a rumor that the ministry is going to be here next month accepting registrations for students that are old enough.”  
Lupin didn’t say anything. He finished collecting the exams and brought them up to his desk. “Professor please”.  
He turned to face Alison, he felt bad for her. Normally metamorphmagi start learning to control their abilities before entering Hogwarts, but he knew that he was the only person she trusted to help her. He was however a little hesitant on her plan to sign up when the ministry arrived. Had she been born into a wizard family it wouldn’t be a problem, but Teddy had never met a muggle born metamorphmagi and he was afraid that the ministry would be too interested in Alison.  
“Fine, but we have to be careful, no one can know. If Professor Slughorn finds out I will be fired you will be expelled and we will both be arrested.” Of course Alison knew this since dating Scorpius.  
“Can we start tonight, my potions class ends at 5.” Alison was afraid of sounding too eager, but she was hoping Professor Lupin wouldn’t notice.  
“I finish working at 6:30, we can meet in the forest at 7 where we had class last week. Please make sure no one follows you and that you have a good reason for being out of the castle.”  
“Thank you Professor.” She grabbed her books and practically ran out of class and ran to divinations.  
Teddy Lupin watched her leave. He knew this was a bad idea and that if anyone noticed it would look even worse. Alison was a beautiful girl, but she was only fifteen and he was the new young, 23 year old teacher that all the girls stared at. He didn’t want to think about what he would be accused of if anyone saw them.

Around 6:45pm Alison left the Hufflepuff common room, and went through the hallway behind the Great Hall, and out the back doors of the castle. It was already dark outside, making it harder for anyone to see her walking to the Forbidden Forest. She walked into the clearing about five minutes early. She walked around the edge of the clearing thinking about the man that saved her last time she was in the forest. Suddenly a large barn owl flew into the center of the clearing. Alison watched it turn into Professor Lupin as he landed. “That was brilliant” Alison said.  
“Actually turning into the owl isn’t the hard part, flying on the other hand takes some practice.”

Professor Lupin and Alison met three times that week and the next, Alison’s transformations became much easier and the number of animals she could change into grew, however Professor Lupin wouldn’t let her try turning into a wolf, despite her constant asking, saying that it was too complicated. But during the third week of their meetings Alison’s friends started getting suspicious of where she was going. With only one week until the ministry was coming to the school Alison and Professor Lupin planned to meet every night that week. Unfortunately Katie and James stopped her before she could leave the common room.  
“Ally please tell us where you are going” Katie said, looking scared and concerned.   
“I’m going to the libr…”  
James interrupted her “We know you aren’t at the library”  
Alison was never a good liar and hiding anything from her friends was difficult. “I can’t tell you right now, I promise I will tell you but I can’t right now.”  
Alison pushes past them leaving a very confused James and Katie with her mouth open in shock. Once Alison was gone Katie and James followed her out of the castle, but stopped when they saw her heading towards to forest.  
“Ok so she goes to the forest, she is probably practicing transfigurations, or she needs alone time” James said.  
“James she definitely doesn’t need to practice transfigurations she is two years ahead of our class and why would she go to the forest to be alone. Wait is that Professor Lupin?” They watched him walk into the forest.   
James didn’t look shocked, “She probably has transfigurations tutoring with him.” Katie turned to him. “Your joking right, if she had tutoring it would be in a classroom in the school, not the Forbidden Forest.”   
James looked concerned “If it isn’t tutoring then why would she…”  
“James think about it, he’s the youngest cutest teacher in the school, and she is pretty, innocent, and his best student.” Katie walked back into the castle exasperated.   
Professor Lupin walked into the forest to find Alison standing in the same clearing as usual. She had a large smile on her face, and he couldn’t help but notice how the few remaining rays of sun made the blond highlights of Alison’s light brown hair stand out. He realized he was staring when Alison ran her fingers through her hair. “Is there something in my hair professor?” she asked. “oh um n-no, sorry Alison I thought I saw something behind you.”   
He walked into the center of the clearing to face her. It was unusually quiet in the forest, and he could hear every leaf the crunched under his feet. Lupin didn’t understand why he felt more awkward than usual. “Well, I thought that maybe we could work on owls again today, but this time you could try flying.” Alison’s face lit up, she had been asking to try flying for weeks, but Professor Lupin kept putting it off.   
Their lesson continued for hours, Alison was determined to fly in a full circle around the clearing before they stopped. On her last attempt she managed to make almost a full circle before making a sloppy landing and rolling to s stop. “I’m fine, I’m fine.” She said, ignoring the bruises she knew she would have later. She stood up brushing off her uniform. “I think that’s enough for tonight.” Professor Lupin agreed, but found that he was disappointed that she had to leave. He watched Alison walk out of the clearing, he was practically staring at her as he watched her hair bounce and her skirt sway as she walked back to the castle.

When Alison arrived back at the common room James and Katie were waiting for her. “Alison please we need to talk.” Katie brought her over to the couch. “Guys its late I’m tired can we talk about this tomorrow.”  
James chimed in, “Katie doesn’t think this can wait”.  
“Ally, please tell us the truth… are you sleeping with Professor Lupin?” Katie blurted out. Alison was in shock.  
“Katie, are you serious, no of course not, you know I wouldn’t do that.”  
“Ally we saw you and Professor Lupin go into the forest.”   
Alison looked startled, “You saw that, did anyone else see us?”  
“Wait so you are sleeping with him.” Katie looked mortified.  
“No, I’m not… I can’t explain it, I promise I will, just not now.” Alison went to leave, but Katie grabbed her arm. “Ow” Alison pulled back her arm.  
“Ally is your arm hurt?” Katie took Alison’s arm again and rolled up her sleeve. “Why is your arm covered in bruises?”  
“I fell yesterday.” As Alison said that she knew they didn’t believe her. “I promise he didn’t hurt me, please it’s not what you think, and I will tell you, but not right now.” Alison stood up and left the room.


	7. I Can't Do It

Alison was awoken at 5am the next morning by a small house elf. “Miss, Miss, Miss Alison please wake up.” Alison sat up groggily having not slept well the night before. “Miss Alison Professor Lupin sent me.”  
“Shhhh” Alison shushed the house elf so he wouldn’t wake her roommates.  
“Why did he send you?” she whispered.  
“Miss he sent me to tell you that the ministry is coming to the school tomorrow and he wants you to meet him in the forest at six, he also said to come, not as yourself. Sorry miss I don’t know what that means.” He was trembling. “Thank you…would you like a blanket, or a sweater, you look like your freezing?”  
“Oh no thank you miss, but I have to go.” He snapped his fingers and disaperated.  
Alison got dressed, snuck out of the common room and into the kitchen. She spoke with the house elves for a moment while they finished baking pastries. She ate a muffin in the kitchen than ran to the door of the castle. She stopped to make sure no one was looking than changed into a small tabby cat, before running onto the grounds. She walked into the forest to find Professor Lupin waiting in the clearing. She walked over to Professor Lupin and changed into herself. “Was it necessary that I woke up at 5?”  
“Alison the Ministry is coming tomorrow and you need to not only be able to change into several animals without looking at them, but be able to control your appearance with your emotions. Also they might ask you to change into your patronus.”  
“But, I don’t know my patronus.”  
“I know, so we will work on that today.” He seamed too confident.  
Alison practiced transforming into different animals until noon. The last animal she tried was an owl. She was successful in changing into the owl but only flew a few feet off the ground before falling and changing as she crashed. Professor Lupin ran over to her. “Alison, are you ok?” He said while supporting her head. “I’m fine, just exhausted.” She said between short breaths. “Oh we can take a break if you need one.” He said  
Alison shook her head. “No I only have today and I need to try this.”  
He helped her sit up, she staggered at first, but held her ground and walked to the center of the clearing.   
“We should start working on your patronus.” He was acting like nothing happened, and so did Alison.  
“Can you try a patronus spell?”  
“Sure” Alison took out her wand and walked to the center of the clearing.  
“Expecto Patronum” she said with a small voice. She produced a small spell that only lasted a few seconds. “Expecto Patronum” Again her spell was small and did not last. She sighed in frustration.  
“Your not focusing enough. You have to tap into a powerful memory.”  
“I’m trying.” She said the frustration could be heard in her voice.  
“What memory are you thinking of?”  
“The day I got my letter from Hogwarts. It was my first truly happy memory.”  
“Alison that isn’t strong enough.” Alison looked shocked.  
“How is that not strong enough, that was the first time I didn’t feel like I was crazy.”  
“Because you have happier memories, what about your relationship with Scorpius?” Alison raised her eyebrows. “Alison everyone in the school knew about your relationship, it’s rare that a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff date especially when a member of the Malfoy family dates a muggleborn. Not that there is anything wrong with that.” He was concerned that he said something wrong.  
“It’s to painful” she mumbled.  
“But if the memories are happy it will work.”  
Alison closed her eyes and focused on a memory of her and Scorpius sitting by the lake next to Malfoy Manor. They had gone swimming in the lake and were now lying on a blanket they brought. Alison’s head was resting on Scorpius’ bare chest and his arm was around her waist. “Expecto Patronum” A large bright light shot from her wand practically blinding Professor Lupin.   
“Amazing, that was amazing. You almost had a full body patronus.” Alison fell again gasping for air and sobbing. Professor Lupin ran to her, “Alison” he pulled out a chocolate bar from his jacket, “Eat this you’ll feel better.” She took the chocolate, “I can’t do that again” she said through sobs, “It’s too painful.”  
“It’s fine, that was brilliant.” He helped her up and they started walking out of the forest.   
“I’m going to stop by the quidditch field, I’ll see you tomorrow Professor.” 

Alison walked to the quidditch field and found the Hufflepuff team packing up their equipment. Katie was very proud to be the youngest team captain in Hufflepuff history. At the same time she noticed the Slytherin team walking to the field with Crabbe, Don, and Aaron leading the group. They walked passed the Hufflepuff team and Crabbe gave Alison this snarky satisfied smile, while Aaron and Don adjusted their beater clubs. Scorpius walked a few steps behind them, but stopped at Alison.   
“Are you ok?” He said as he leaned on his broom.  
“I’m fine” she said with a fake smile. “Katie and I are gonna head back to the common room to do homework.”   
“Can we talk for a second?” He asked as he was pulling Alison to the side.  
“You know my father is going to be here tomorrow.” He was hinting to her.  
“I know, I’m going to register tomorrow.” Alison didn’t realize how nervous she was until she said it out loud. “Oh and why were you in the Forbidden Forest yesterday?” She said with an irritated tone.  
Scorpius looked confused. “I wasn’t in the forest yesterday.”  
Alison was becoming more agitated. “Don’t lie to me, Katie saw you walking into the forest last night.”  
“Well I, um well… I-I saw you walking into the forest last night and I wanted to know why you were going into the forest. I saw you practicing transformations with Professor Lupin, I didn’t know he was a metamorphmagi too.” Scorpius gave a shy smile, he didn’t want Alison to hate him.  
“I’ll go with you tomorrow, if you want, I’ll make sure you pass the Ministry’s test.” He took her hand as he said this. She squeezed his hand. “Thanks, I’m terrified.”


	8. The Department for the Care of Magical Creatures

Alison couldn’t eat anything for breakfast that morning. The thought of revealing her secret to the ministry terrified her. She sat with Katie and James at the Hufflepuff table, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of the head table. Mr. Malfoy, the head of the Department, and Detective Carrow were speaking with Professor Slughorn. “Ally you look like your going to be sick.” Katie was watching her look back and forth between the ministry members. Alison stood up suddenly, “I think I left my books in my room, I’ll meet you in class.”  
Alison practically ran out of the great hall, Professor Lupin watched her leave, then excused himself and left the great hall too.  
Alison ran into the nearest empty room, sat against the far wall and started shaking and sobbing. Professor Lupin walked in and shut the door behind him. He sat next to Alison, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I know your scared. Don’t worry you will be fine.” He sat with Alison until she had to leave for class.

Alison was sitting in her muggle studies class next to Katie and James. They were finishing their exam when a ministry official walked into their class and went to speak to Madam Bones. “Miss Grey, may I have word with you?” Alison stood up and walked to the front of the class, aware that everyone was watching her.  
“Alison, this man is from the ministry, he has a letter requesting that you be sent to the headmaster’s office immediately and that he will escort you there.” Alison looked at him then at Madam Bones. “I don’t see why I need an escort, I know where Professor Slughorn’s office is.”  
“Miss Grey please come with me, this is for your safety.” Alison didn’t have a choice. She followed him out of the room, while everyone turned their head to watch them leave.  
Alison stepped into the headmaster’s office, it was crowded with members of the ministry including Mr. Malfoy and Detective Carrow. Alison was not so gently pushed into the center of the group. She was trying to hide how terrified she was, but her expression changed to a look of confusion when she saw Professor Lupin in a chair with ministry guards on either side of him.  
“Professor, why are you here?”  
“It’s just a misunderstanding…”  
Mr. Malfoy cut in, “Alison it’s good to see you again, please let me explain.” She turned to face him. He gestured to someone in the back of the group, “Mr. Crabbe has brought it to our attention that you and Professor Lupin have been seeing each other out of class, and he has reason to believe that you and Professor Lupin may have an inappropriate relationship.”  
That was not the explanation Alison was expecting. “You think, you think I’m in a relationship with him.”  
Crabbe walked up to Alison, “On my way to Quidditch practice I happened to see you and Professor Lupin in the forest, and well it didn’t look like you were just talking. He looked like he was a little too close to you.” Alison couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Mr. Malfoy please, this is a misunderstanding, I am not in a relationship with him. I don’t know what Crabbe thinks he saw, but any meetings I have with Professor Lupin are strictly for transfigurations tutoring.”  
Detective Carrow interjected, “Miss Grey I understand that you want to protect your Professor, but this could be a serious issue if he is using you.”  
Alison was starting to get frustrated. “I’m sorry Sir, but I fail to see how this matter would involve the Department for the Care of Magical Creatures.”  
Detective Carrow stepped forward “Miss Grey, I’m not sure if you are aware of the fact that Professor Lupin is one of a few registered metamorphmagi, and if he is in a relationship with a student it is no longer just a school matter.”  
Crabbe cut in, “Alison can’t you see they are just trying to protect you from being hurt.” He sounded sincere but she could see the smirk on his face. That last remark pushed her over the edge.  
“Protect me from him” she pointed at Professor Lupin. “I don’t need protection from him, if I need protection from anyone it’s you. I can’t even count the number of times you, Don, and Aaron have cornered me in the halls, or stopped me in the dungeons. How many times has your wand pressed against my back to keep me from screaming, then you threaten to hurt my friends so that I don’t tell anyone! I don’t need protection from my Professor, he is the only person in this school that understands what I’m going through, you’re the one that started to sexually assault me the first day we had class together in my third year, and I’m done with it!” Alison’s breathing was fast, everyone was staring at her. Crabbe couldn’t believe what she did. Alison turned to Professor Lupin, he had a sad looking expression and just mouthed the words, “your hair”. Alison saw that most of her hair had turned a bright red and orange.

Everyone was staring at her, Crabbe’s face went pale, Mr. Malfoy looked appalled, and Professor Lupin had a sad expression. Detective Carrow was the only person smiling, “Miss Grey, is there something you would like to tell us?”  
Alison grabbed a strand of hair and began to run her fingers through it. She suddenly felt very small in the room full of people.  
“I was going to register today, Professor Lupin was helping me learn to control my shifting, so I could pass your tests without being held at the ministry. Please let him go, we were only meeting until today, and I asked him to help me.” Alison was facing Mr. Malfoy, but turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Detective Carrow was standing right behind her with a few of ministry workers. “Miss Grey, I have a few questions for you regarding your history.” Alison turned to face him, her hair was fading back to its natural color. “Please have a seat.”  
“I’d rather stand” Alison said, knowing that if she sat it would be harder to leave the room.  
Detective Carrow looked frustrated but didn’t argue with her. “Miss Grey, who from your family has magic?”  
“Um, no one, my parents were muggles.” He was surprised by that answer. “Were muggles?”  
Alison hated explaining this. “My parents died when I was five, I was raised in foster homes, and to answer your next question the first time I changed no one saw me, and I was trying to hide from kids in the foster home so I turned into a mouse.”   
“Well Miss Grey in light of this new information I’m going to insist that you come to the ministry with us until we deem you safe.” The ministry guards surrounded her. “Wait, why do I have to go to the ministry, I’m not dangerous, I’ve been here for five years, I’ve never hurt anyone.” Alison’s breathing quickened. “Miss Grey, please don’t make this difficult.” The guards closed in. Professor Lupin stood up “Draco is this really necessary, she’s harmless.”  
He turned to Lupin, “I’m sorry Lupin, but she has been using her abilities illegally and she may be a threat. The two ministry guards next to Lupin shoved him back into his chair to prevent his from helping Alison.

The ministry guards had almost closed in on Alison, she panicked and pulled out her wand. “Reducto!” Half of the guards in front of her went flying across the room. Alison ran down the stairs and out of the room. She shut the door behind her, but she could here the ministry guards following her with Detective Carrow in the lead. She ran through the halls, classes were ending and the halls started filling with students. Alison ran right into Scorpius. “Alison, what’s wrong?”  
“Scorpius help, the ministry is after me, including your father.”  
“I’ll distract them.” He ran off in the opposite direction. “Hey Katie, help me distract the ministry.”   
“What?”  
“I’m helping Ally” He shouted. Katie ran after him to slow them down. Alison reached the staircases and started running down them, she could here her pursuers following her. Halfway down the stairs Alison heard a spell hit the stair behind her. She kept running, but the next spell hit her in the back and she fell down two flights of stairs. She got back up and continued running her left ankle was sore, but she was too determined not to stop.


End file.
